Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that arrangements have been in place for some time, between the operators/ proprietors/licensees at the airports in question and the Revenue Customs Service, to ensure that all unscheduled flights arriving into these airports are notified to Customs. These arrangements are working well and the Commissioners are satisfied, insofar as possible, that all unscheduled flights have been properly notified. All aircraft arrivals at Ireland West Airport Knock, Sligo and Galway are monitored on an ongoing basis and, based on risk analysis, profiling, review of intelligence and other factors, a decision is made on whether Customs inspection is deemed necessary. Passengers and crew from all aircraft, including private aircraft, entering the State are subject to the same checks, including individual profiling, physical inspection/examination by Customs, and screening by a drug detector dog.

The risk of smuggling (including drug smuggling) using unscheduled flights is fully appreciated by Revenue and is the subject of continuous assessment and risk analysis. Each airport is the subject of a formal risk assessment process that has regard to the nature of the facility, traffic frequency, routes, national and international seizure trends, specific intelligence and other risk indicators. Traffic with origins and destinations with a high-risk rating attract particular interest. The level of assessed risk at each location then informs the frequency of physical inspections. This approach is similar to that employed throughout the EU, is in keeping with recognised best practice and represents the most effective deployment of scarce resources.

Finally, it should be noted that the terms and conditions of approval of each of the airports in question by the Revenue Commissioners, as a place for the arrival of aircraft from outside the State, require the operator/proprietor/licensee of each airport to notify Customs of all arrivals and to maintain a record of all such arrivals.